TIME PLEASE!: A man with "no drive, no motivation, no hope and no job" asked through his solicitor to be sent to prison The 35-year-old, who admitted stealing metal from a house in Bury was remanded to Risley for three weeks for psychiatric and probation reports.

WINTER WONDERLAND: As the first winter frost and snow showers hit Bury area, gritting machines and snow ploughs went to work on the borough's roads. In just 12 hours, six local authority gritting machines were in use, and a total of 180 tons of salt was used on 117 miles of roads. The north of the borough suffered the biggest problems. STRIFE IN FAST LANE: Summerseat residents were pressing Bury Council to arrange for 15 mph speed limit signs to be erected immediately on the three main routes to the village. Villagers feared that when the M66 opened, with access and exit points near the Bass Lane entrance, the problem would become unbearable.

PAYBACK TIME: Tenants owing rent on Bury Council houses were hit hard by a County Court judge who granted two eviction orders and imposed heavy repayment orders on 24 other tenants who appeared before him.

THE WAITING GAME: Well over 50 per cent of the people offered council accommodation in Bury since April had turned it down. As a result a number of people were removed from the waiting list and others had their applications deferred six months. One person had refused accommodation in Radcliffe because it was "the wrong area."

HOT SEAT: A Bury councillor had to resign his seat on Bury Council after it was discovered he was holding it illegally. Councillor Tom Jackson, who held the South Ward seat in Radcliffe, discovered that a part-time job as a caretaker made him technically an employee of the authority and therefore ineligible to sit on the council.